


Facets

by Ryuosen



Category: Detective Conan/Case Closed, Magic Kaitou
Genre: Blood and Gore, Character Death, Horror, Multi, Romance, Sexual Content, Supernatural - Freeform, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-15
Updated: 2015-11-29
Packaged: 2017-10-09 05:36:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/83604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ryuosen/pseuds/Ryuosen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Since time immemorial, ancient peoples have dressed up their lack of knowledge as gods and demons. Over the years I discovered that sometimes, the fates of gods and mortals intertwine – I would know, I'm one of them after all…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. first facet: Yukiko

 

Facets  
\- a Detective Conan story -

**Author: **Ryuosen**  
Chapters: **1/30**  
Words:** ~ 1500**  
Rating:** M for violence, blood and gore**  
Genre:** Romance, Adventure, Angst, Yaoi, Het**  
Pairings:** YukikoxYusaku**  
Warnings:** violence, blood**, character death**, also a slight crossover with Eternal Darkness  
Disclaimer: I obviously don't own DC/MK because otherwise they would have a lot more of crossovers!

**Summary:**  
Since time immemorial, ancient peoples have dressed up their lack of knowledge as gods and demons. Over the years I discovered that sometimes, the fates of gods and mortals intertwine – I would know, I'm one of them after all…

"talking"  
_thoughts, letters…_

_Author's note_  
_So for those still following this story, yes your eyes are not deceiving you. This is in fact an update of some kind. As I told some readers who discovered the story only a not so long time ago, I've fallen pretty much out of the DC/MK fandom due to the slloooow moving main plot of DC. However after watching some Magic Kaito and reading a few good stories, I suddenly wanted to write again. However after reading the story again, I wasn't satisfied with its pacing. So this is a more refined updated version._  
_ This is the updated prologue and the other reworked chapters should follow in the next days as well as a completely new chapter. Also I'm a very big fan of Poe's poems so there will be snippets at the beginning of each chapter._

_ **As always reviews and critics are more than welcome.** _

_Readers already familiar with the story will probably notice that the pairings tags have changed. They will now always reflect the pairing of the newest chapter. Though that doesn't mean that their wont be any shonen ai/shojo ai pairings, since the rework there are possibilities for other pairings. Romance will not be the main focus of the story, however it will play an important role concerning the character development of both Shinichi and Kaito._

_If you don't like the thought of two boys/girls together, then either ignore it or don't read the story, thank you very much!_

_If there are any questions, drop a review or a pm or find my lj of the same name._

_Now I hope you'll enjoy this new version._

_Cheers_  
_ryuosen_

* * *

_Prologue - Flesh and Bone  
_

* * *

_"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,_

_Doubting"_

_-Edgar Allan Poe  
_

* * *

They were going to die.

Sharing a glance with her husband, Yukiko was certain. Both of them wouldn't last the night. Running would get them nowhere and nothing they could attempt would change their fate. It had already been sealed years ago.

A lone tear trailed down her face as the realization settled into her mind, changing her premonition into certainty. Her hand found Yusaku's, twined their fingers together and Yusaku answered her silent plea, pulling her into his arms. Together the sunk to the ground.

She clung to her husband's stronger frame although both their bodies were shaking, their fear a tangible shadow already flexing its claws. A monster all too real and it was coming for them.

The roof was empty and silence surrounded them, making the thudding of their hearts all the louder.

Yukiko was glad her son was safe and wouldn't be there to see their end. He was already tethering on a tightrope. Their deaths might be the final straw before the rope snapped and the madness - festering inside his mind - engulfed him.

Eventually Yusaku stepped back, looking at his wife. He wasn't surprised to see her crying. He'd thought they were prepared to die but now that the moment was almost upon them, he tried desperately to think of a way out. But every solution he thought up was discarded nearly a second later. They had literally backed themselves into a corner with no escape.

"It'll be okay," he told her, voice a near whisper.

Yukiko offered him a thin smile and a nod, though she had undoubtedly seen through his lie. It didn't fool Yusaku at all, under any other circumstances she would have struck a pose and said something so vain that it could only come from Yukiko.

The faint sound of an explosion reached his ears, confirming what they had already known. _They_ had found them.

His hand went for the revolver he was always carrying, to his left Yukiko was doing the same. Quietly he checked the weapon - recently cleaned, loaded, safety off, ready to use. He knew she kept hers in the same condition. Though without Shinichi here, the guns were just that - guns. They would still do damage but it was nothing compared to what they could do with their son's aid.

They would have to make do, as long as Shinichi was safe and Edwin had promised he'd be when he'd carried their unconscious son out of the loft they had been hiding in for the last weeks.

_All for Shinichi..._

Sounds of someone ascending the stairs. At least the broken elevator electronics had slowed them down.

He chanced a look at Yukiko and their eyes locked. For a moment they were back in time, back when they didn't have to worry about being murdered every night, where their greatest fear was his deadline and how to escape his agents. A time where Shinichi had been their bright little boy - far too intelligent and inquisitive - whose greatest interest was solving another riddle.

"I don't regret anything!"

For all her strong words, Yukiko's voice was nothing but a whisper, tears still trailing down her face, but Yusaku had long since learned to understand what his wife wanted to say without speaking the actual words. He squeezed her hand briefly before aiming his revolver.

_I'll love you... forever_

Yukiko felt her arms tremble as she lifted her own weapon and aimed at the single door leading to the rooftop. For any onlooker it probably looked like a clichéd showdown out of one of those b-rated Hollywood movies, especially with their backs so exposed.

It wasn't.

The knob of the door was turning and Yukiko froze, goosebumps breaking out all over her skin, her hair in the nape of her neck standing up.

They weren't alone.

Her frame lost the tension and she turned around - her usually perfectly coiffed hair wiping around her face - ignoring Yusaku's sounds of surprise and looked beyond the edges of the roof and wished she hadn't. On the skyscraper to their left was someone and she just knew what was going to happen. The scream died in her throat as she saw that little red dot appear on her husband's back, a barely audible sound reaching her ears.

Then Yusaku was collapsing, dark red spreading on his blue jacket. Yukiko was at his side a moment later, her weapon clattering to the ground. She cradled her husband, the sound of the door a mere side note. At least until a very familiar pair of heels stepped into her vision and all hopes she still had held onto died.

"So this is, how it is..." she murmured, her fingers gently carding through Yusaku's hair, trying to soothe the pained noises he made.

The light chuckle made her flinch, she couldn't even hide it. Only Yusaku's whimper made her hastily loosen her grip. Unnecessary pain was the last she wanted to cause him... for as long as they still had. She didn't want to look up, to confirm what she suspected but did it anyway.

Sometimes the truth was something harsh, something ugly, something you wanted to hide from and never come out. But Yukiko couldn't hide, no matter how much she wanted to. She couldn't allow herself to falter either, not as long as the life of her son depended on it.

For her son she would and had gone through hell and back, had lied, had killed and now...? Now she would die for him.

There was an emotion in her old friend's eyes, something Yukiko thought she shouldn't be capable of feeling still, but apparently did. Her voice though, was cold, when she spoke once more, "You can stop this... Yukiko-chan. You know what we want, give it to us and your life will be spared."

Gods Yukiko wanted to, she dearly wanted to. Had she known what was to come, she'd never set a foot inside that damned country so many years ago. But that ship had long since sailed and now here she was with Yusaku bleeding out in her arms and unable to stop it. Her own helplessness was making her want to weep but she would never allow herself to show anymore weakness than she already had.

So Kudô Yukiko kept her silence with the dignity of a queen, her hand once more intertwining with Yusaku's. She would face her own death with her head held high.

"A pity, but this wasn't up to me..."

The voice sounded faint and Yukiko knew her old friend wouldn't remain to witness their deaths. No, she would let others do her dirty work. For a moment Yukiko was tempted to call her on her obvious cowardice but refrained when her executioner stepped forward. Long years of running away had schooled her eye and she knew what was hiding beneath the stretched skin. The hissing sounds only confirmed her suspicions.

She wanted to be brave but found only fear in her heart. The monster before her was capable of things better left unspoken. Backing away with Yusaku in her arms was hard but she had enough practice and adrenalin to drive her on. At least until she came to the edge of the roof. One more step and there would be nothing but the abyss.

Yusaku looked up at her with a calm acceptance belied by his pounding heart.

_This is it..._

For but a split second she wished that they had never found the heart of the temple, had never discovered what rested in its depths. Because then it would have never chosen their son and they could have lived their life in blissful ignorance without fearing those dwelling beyond the shadows.

Her arms tightened around her husband, around the only man who had ever managed to challenge her, hold her interest for longer than a fleeting glance and who she loved with her all her heart. They would be together in this until the end.

_I'm ready_, she thought

Eyes open, Yukiko smiled and stepped off the edge.

_tbc..._


	2. second facet: Hakuba Saguru

 

Facets  
\- a Detective Conan story -

**Author: **Ryuosen**  
Chapters: **5/30**  
Words:** ~ ?**  
Rating:** M for violence, blood and gore**  
Genre:** Romance, Adventure, Angst, Yaoi, Het**  
Pairings:** ?**  
Warnings:** violence, blood**, character death**, also a slight crossover with Eternal Darkness****  
Disclaimer: I obviously don't own DC/MK because otherwise they would have a lot more of crossovers!

**Summary:**  
Since time immemorial, ancient peoples have dressed up their lack of knowledge as gods and demons. Over the years I discovered that sometimes, the fates of gods and mortals intertwine – I would know, I'm one of them after all…

"talking"__  
thoughts, letters…  


_Author's note_  
So for those still following this story, yes your eyes are not deceiving you. This is in fact another update of some kind. This is the former third chapter. Those who have read the story before would know. However it is now moved to chapter 2 and has been reworked. Hakuba was being more of an attention whore than Kaito usually is. So this is a more refined updated version, it's also longer.  
Inside the chapter are mentions of one of the more famous poems of Poe. I recommend that you go to youtube and listen to it read by Christopher Lee.  


_For those not so familiar with japanese culture keep in mind that in Japan you introduce yourself with your surname first. _

_ **As always reviews and critics are more than welcome.** _

_Readers already familiar with the story will probably notice that the pairings tags have changed. They will now always reflect the pairing of the newest chapter. Though that doesn't mean that their wont be any shonen ai/shojo ai pairings, since the rework there are possibilities for other pairings. Romance will not be the main focus of the story, however it will play an important role concerning the character development of both Shinichi and Kaito._

_If you don't like the thought of two boys/girls together, then either ignore it or don't read the story, thank you very much!_

_If there are any questions, drop a review or a pm or find my lj of the same name._

_Now I hope you'll enjoy this new version._

_Cheers_   
_ryuosen_

* * *

_Chapter 1 - A bloodless Lenore  
_

* * *

_"Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before; But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token, And the only word there spoken _

_was the whispered word, "Lenore?""_   
_-Edgar Allan Poe_

* * *

It was utter chaos, but Saguru didn't expect it to be otherwise. KID's heists were after all designed to be a spectacle. Though this time he thought that even the thief would be impressed by the sheer mass of people, who had assembled to witness as he stole one of the rarest black diamonds.

With sure steps he stood next to the glass case holding the Amsterdam diamond. His trained eyes already taking notes of the security the case provided. There were the weight sensors, which were set to go off, if the weight on the pillow differed from the one of the jewel. Motion sensors were next, their sensitivity though unknown, however according to the manager they would even detect the slightest breeze. Normally Saguru would have liked to examine the mechanics personally but for this heist Nakamori had spared no expenses to install all equipment in the last moment possible to ensure that no leak could possible happen.

Well he would see if the machine defeated KID. Not that he really believed in its victory, no machinery had ever been a match for the elusive phantom thief. A human mind however, only a human mind could ever hope to go toe to toe with KID.

His superficial inspection was interrupted, no surprise here, by Nakamori-keibu, who proceeded to pinch his cheek for the fifth time today. After the debacle at the last heist, where KID had simply mimed a police officer with an already pinched face, which he had been painted on the mask he had worn, the head of the KID task force took no chances.

In a near unpredictable rhythm did he run around and pinched various faces in hopes of exposing the thief. He even went as far as having his face pinched in irregular intervals. So far they hadn't had much luck. Not that the thief would chose this method of entering tonight. KID used his tricks often, but he would have anticipated Nakamori's caution concerning disguises and planned accordingly.

Unfortunately nothing was ever simple and logical with KID, he was like a goddamn kaleidoscope. Every time the thief moved, the pieces shifted and Saguru had a new picture.

It didn't help that he was 99% sure about who KID was but getting evidence was even harder than coming close to the phantom.

A glance outside told him that the mass of people had grown even more. It made Saguru wonder why that was. Aside from the heist note being send to a TV station there had been nothing special about it. The deciphering had taken some time but after having remembered some of the common themes the thief used it had been a child's play.

Saguru had noticed early on that KID apparently preferred to steal his jewels under the light of the full moon. It was an important detail for the thief's motive, however so far he hadn't been able to find the connection. Also with the exception of the Clock Tower early on, all his thefts included jewels he had returned later on and they still had no idea why he did that either. Over eight years ago the KID hadn't done that. No the thief had kept what he had stolen.

Another hint that the KID of before and the one now weren't one and the same, though Saguru was hesitant to call anyone a thief, especially a dead man. Because the only way the story worked was that Kuroba Toichi had been Kaito KID before. He had been a stage magician and Saguru could name at least three occasions where Kuroba Toichi had given a show in a city, only for a jewel or another valuable commodity to be stolen a few days later.

It would also make sense that a father would entrust such secret only with his son once he was old enough to understand its importance. The only thing not making sense was how the secret could have been passed on since Kuroba-kun's father had died in an accident over eight years ago. Coincidentally the thievery of Kaito KID had also stopped around the same time.

Well he could put the mystery right next to the mystery of the connection between the jewels KID stole and then returned, all under the full moon.

Sighing Saguru opened his pocket watch, the sound of the methodical unending ticking soothing his frayed nerves. They still had at least forty minutes before KID announced time of arrival. Seeing that had yet to stop Nakamori running around and bellowing orders, Saguru knew that the small details such as air vents, windows and emergency exits would fall to him.

The keibu wouldn't think of it, rumors had it, that another would become head of the task force if Nakamori didn't catch the thief soon. A rumour that no doubt let the KID task force fly into a frenzy. He knew them to be a very tight-knit and loyal bunch. According to the files his father had provided him with, nearly every of the higher ranking officers belonged the original task force. He knew they would give it their all for Nakamori not to be demoted.

Besides it wasn't if it would change anything. There were very few people who might be a match for kid. Nakamori at least had his sheer force of will and the stubbornness of an ox, that made him a fierce adversary and Saguru? He had his intelligence and knowledge of KID to counter anything that the other threw his way. And one day he would prevail and catch him. Only then he could return to Europe and finish his education there, then he would become a detective, just like he wanted.

He ignored the twinge of guilt he always felt when he thought about sending Kuroba-kun to jail. Law was law and had to be followed, there were no exceptions, not even for phantom thieves.

By the time he had finished his round, having noted and memorized the other exhibits the museum currently had on display, Saguru was certain that all exists were guarded by officers as ordered, cameras had all air vent under supervision and every single window in the whole building had been secured with an alarm. There was no way that KID could enter without notice. If he wasn't already inside the building, he wouldn't get in. And that was impossible. The checks for this heist had been meticulous. Every person somehow connected to the case had been forced to undress and submit all his possessions for a check.

Clothes had been probed, faces pulled and pinched. Hell every officer had been measured beforehand to compile a detailed profile of every person involved with the heist. Nakamori had decided to only accept men, who were either taller or a good deal shorter than KID's own presumed height. Every possible opportunity for the thief to use one of his strengths had been eliminated to the best of their abilities. Height, electronics, random checks to make sure, that the phantom hadn't decided to impersonate someone despite their measures taken.

The manager of the gallery had even gone as far as to order a new security system from America to ensure the safety of the black diamond. It had only arrived the day before. No possibility for the KID to get notice of it. This time they would get him.

Nakamori had finally stopped with the pinching as the blond returned to the main room, where the jewel was displayed. Nothing had changed, the sky was still dark with clouds hiding the moon and the artificial light chasing the shadows of the room away. Another glance on the clock told him all he needed to know, had the bell not started to chime.

Midnight... or in other words: Showtime!

The last chime hadn't even died before the lights went out and Saguru cursed under his breath, apparently KID had somehow managed to get his hands on the building's electronics. There was no telling what else he had access to: Windows? The cameras? Kami, he might even have access to the sensors of the cabinet!

"Ladies and Gentlemen, my dear task force…" KID's voice seemingly coming from nowhere, not even the speakers, he knew to be hidden in the corners of the room. Saguru didn't bother with listening anymore, it wasn't as if KID ever said anything worthwhile.

Luckily many heists had taught him one important lesson: Be prepared for the unexpected!

And prepared Saguru was. Moments later he was wearing night vision googles and studied the room. Some of the police officer, mostly the newbies, flailed around, not knowing what to do. The veterans though, calmly, awaited orders from Nakamori.

Of course there had to be a catch?

Nakamori was nowhere to be found. He frowned. Where had the keibu gone? It wasn't like him to leave his place before the KID showed himself or before barking new orders. Had KID impersonated the keibu? No it couldn't be, the keibu was far too tall for KID to impersonate believably.

Then there was a bright flash

But where was he... the jewel. GONE! Just like the thief who had stolen it.

He didn't waste any time, none of the windows had been broken. There was only one other entrance to this room. KID had to have fled though it. Ignoring the remaining task force and he sprinted towards the still closed double doors. From beneath the two double doors he could see faint red light and frowned slightly.

He reached the door, wretched it open - it should have been locked - only to run into a solid wall. Unprepared Saguru had no means of bracing himself. It was like the time when he had fallen off of a tree and landed on the sidewalk beneath.

Groaning he sat up, rubbing his head, his fingers came away bloody. What the? What was that? There could be many things said about the KID but the rule of no one getting hurt was iron clad. He'd never break it.

Fascinated he gazed into the dim red light spanning across the threshold and for the blink of an eye he thought he could see someone walking away. Then there was nothing but the red mist floating like a veil.

He didn't dare to touch whatever the mist was. There was no telling what reaction touching would cause and truthfully he could do without finding out.

Then Saguru heard it, the mocking laugh he knew so well. He turned, noticing a white light but dismissed it as a flashlight of one of the other officers.

The thief was perching on the empty cabinet, less than ten feet away from him, the pendant with the tear shaped diamond dangling from a thin chain in his hand. He frowned and pulled a handkerchief from his pockets to stave the blood only for the cloth to come back clean.

How had KID managed that?! No, it was better not to ask too many questions. Before anyone could react the jewel vanished in the depths of KID's tux. With his voice seemingly coming from everywhere the thief spoke, "Ladies and Gentlemen, once more I would like to express my deep gratitude for the kind invitation you'd send me. Without further ado I present you my newest trick."

He spread his arms and Saguru braced himself for whatever was to come but just like that the thief vanished. One blink he was there, another he was gone! Behind the glasses his eyes flitted rapidly over the remaining officers, but the count was still correct, including the still missing keibu.

Well then it would be up to Saguru to take control of the situation, as always. Quickly he got hold of the officer closest to him, "You, try to contact Nakamori-keibu!", then he pointed at another unfamiliar face, "You, take the team and then after him! He can't be gone this quickly." And at last he grabbed the keibu's second in command, "You try and contact the security department. We need light! Hurry!"

Great, soon he would be barking orders like the keibu himself as Saguru watched as the officers scrambled to do as he'd ordered. They really needed to find Nakamori and KID, though if things went their normal course they would undoubtedly find the keibu caught in one of KID's clever traps.

Saguru felt his lips part, ready to give more orders as he heard it. Above him and faint, but he heard it.

Footsteps!

Quickly he snapped to attention, "He's upstairs!"

Saguru was, predictably, the first on the entrance only to run into the veil of red mist, solid as any concrete wall and if that hadn't been enough he felt a current run through him. The electrocution hurt even worse, him and every officer behind him also. Groaning he sat up, one hand rubbing his head. 'Weird', he thought. The scene was disturbingly familiar and he could have sworn it already happened. But no. The KID had just vanished.

Cautiously his hand reached towards the red mist, fingers connecting only to pull them back hastily. It was as if he could actually feel the current flowing though the veil. Saguru frowned. How had Kuroba managed such a thing. Especially in the light of the tight security measures. He could see through the doorway, but he couldn't pass.

"Hakuba-san? Are you okay?"

Gazing back at the other officers, he swallowed the words he wanted to say and settled for a nod. Something was different this time around. He breathed in and tried to ignore the feeling settling in his gut. While he would never exclusively listen to his gut feelings like that hotheaded detective from the West, he had learned not to dismiss it. And right no it was telling him that something was very so very wrong.

Then he heard a sound like a glass being shattered and the red mist dispersed, leaving the doorway free. Dimly he could hear as one of the officers muttered about the thief becoming more clever as time passed. He refrained from agreeing and addressed another officer instead, "Try going through!"

His order was sharp and for a brief moment he regretted being rude but the uneasy feeling had by now evolved to a tsunami crashing against his ribs with every breath he took. The officer hurried to comply. He, a newbie, stepped through the doorway like it was nothing.

Saguru sighed in relief and followed the officer into the hallway. In the background he could still her someone trying to reach the keibu and from the frantic voice he would guess failing. What was happening? There had never been a heist where the keibu had been unreachable, even caught in a trap his voice would bellow through the rooms. No now, now they had no idea where he was and another shiver ran down his spine.

Normally he only had such feeling when Koizumi-san was near and not paying any attention to him but to Kuroba. It wasn't identical, alike but at the same time completely different. This was like being dumped into icy water, the cold all encompassing and ice piercing his skin.

And then he knew, he felt fear. For some reason he was afraid, more afraid than the time when a suspect had pulled a gun on him. Shaking his head, he discarded the thoughts. He was needed here and now.

"Upstairs quickly!"

It couldn't have been more than a minute but Hakuba ran, his legs moved as if an armed Yakuza mob was chasing him. Not even twenty seconds later he entered the exhibition about Egypt and all instincts screamed at him, urging him to be faster. His flashlight was like a lone ray in the darkened building but that didn't deter him, until he saw it.

Blood!

He stopped for a moment, took in the splatter and the drops on ground before he set on following the trail, the fear he felt only intensified. Almost absentmindedly he ordered the officers to draw their weapons. This wasn't a simple theft anymore. Someone was badly injured and… NO! He would not think of the possibility. Slowly they followed the trail that led them to the upper floor into the Edgar Allan Poe exhibit.

The blood drained from his face and it took him actually a second to force his voice to work, "Call an ambulance and Megure-keibu!"

In the pale flare of his flashlight was Nakamori-keibu, bloody propped against the wall, gun still clenched in his hand. His eyes were closed and hadn't Saguru been trained for finding details, he wouldn't have noticed the faint erratic breathing.

The horrified gasps of the other officers mirrored his as they, too, realized what they were seeing. Then one of them was kneeling in front of the fallen keibu and felt for the pulse.

"Hakuba-san, he's alive!"

He nodded, face already turning to follow the trail that led into the room a few feet to the left. The sign next to the room read, "The Raven". He knew that to be one of the more famous poems of Poe. Glancing back he made sure After ensuring that someone would take care of the keibu he continued until he stood in front of the massive double doors. One of the doors was ajar. With a gesture he beckoned one of the other officers closer. The man nodded and carefully pushed the door open. Saguru saw him take a step inside and angled the flashlight to lighten up the room. The officer blanched, face losing all its color before he heaved, turning away from the door with both his hands pressed to the mouth.

Saguru wanted to ask what was wrong, wanted to demand answers and never got to them. Stepping forward he passed the threshold and his face turned white.

Like a ghost he stood there, in the middle of the room. The normally white impeccable clothing stained red and even the monocle dyed with blood. A whisper following him as Hakuba took in the pools of blood that coated every surface of the room. The blotches turning up like a blobs of paint under the light of his flashlight. Around KID were what could only be remains of bodies. His eyes met the concealed gaze of the bloody phantom and he could only whisper in horror, "KID, what have you done?" as the thief vanished giving him a view of the only unstained painting inside the room.

Lenore…

 

_tbc…_

 


	3. third facet: Hakuba

**Facets **

**Author: **Ryuosen  
**Chapters:** 3/30  
**Words:** ~ 3200  
**Rating:** M for violence, blood and gore  
**Genre:** Romance, Adventure, Angst, Yaoi, Het  
**Pairings:** Kudo Shinichi x Kuroba Kaito claimed at **30_kisses** at lj  
**Theme:** #06 the space between dream and reality

**Warnings: **spoilers for entire series just to be safe, violence and blood, a slight crossover with Eternal Darkness is also in it..  
**Disclaimer:** The fact that a disclaimer is involved should clue you in!!

**Summary:**

All things in the world came with a price, sadly neither the Kudos nor the Kurobas had an inkling of what would await their children, for tangling with beings hell bend on erasing humanity could never have entered their minds.

"talking"  
_thoughts, letters.. _

Translations  
keibu – suffix for a police officer/inspector

**Final annoying author's note **  
So I said in lj that I would start posting this monthly in January. Well that was doomed. RL utterly owns me at the moment. Hopefully you'll enjoy this chapter!

Thanks to those, who reviewed or added the story.  
Reviews and critics are more than welcome.

_Cheers_ Ryuosen

* * *

Chapter 2 Murder made real!

* * *

_~~...all that was...~~_

_Since time immemorial, ancient peoples have dressed up their lack of knowledge as gods and demons. _

_I have discovered that sometimes, the forces of gods and_ _ mortals intertwine - and legends are born..."_

~~_then_~~

He knew his duty, knew it as intimately as his own body. Yet here he was: Years later and still filled with revenge, filled with thirst to avenge those who had fallen as his mission had been fulfilled. Not that it was actually over, no until he could finally rest amongst them four more years would have to pass.

Four years he was free to do as he pleased, to kill who he pleased as long as he stayed alive until that critical moment.

His coat dropped to the floor with a squelching noise, but he was uncaring. In fact he hadn't cared for anything other than his revenge in years. Ever since they had fallen and left him behind. As much as he knew, that he hadn't been at fault, that they would have perished regardless of his involvement, he couldn't help but feel guilty for it. After all he had loved them so much. A pity that he had never actually told them.

Shaped him, given him the tools he needed to survive and what he given them. A quick merciful death.

His hands fumbled with the straps of his holster before he unceremoniously dropped it on the nightstand next to his bed. Making a mental note to lock it away after his shower, his fingers closed on the knob and he entered the bathroom. It still looked like he had left it four days ago, in desperate need of a renovation and a good cleaning. He knew he would provide neither. Soon he would be finished here anyway and then this part of his life could come to an end.

Goosebumps broke out as his feet made contact with the cold floor of the shower. The shivers came with the icy water that rained down on him. His head down, he watched with a sense of detachment the multiple swirls the blood made as it dripped from his body onto the tiles. Water concealing the tears that joined.

Dimly he wondered when human life had become so insignificant to him.

But the silence didn't offer him any answers as he sank to the ground, knees pulled to the chest. From above the cold water continued to drench him without stopping. He barely noticed.

~~Now~~

It was utter chaos, but Hakuba didn't expect it to be otherwise. KID's heists were after all designed to be a spectacle. Though this time he thought that even the thief would be impressed by the sheer mass of people, who had assembled to witness as he stole one of the rarest black diamonds.

With sure steps he stood next to the glass case holding the Amsterdam diamond. His trained eyes already taking notes of the security the case provided. There were the weight sensors, which were set to go off, if the weight on the pillow differed from the one of the jewel. Motion sensors were next, their sensitivity was unknown to him, but according to the manager they would even detect the slightest breeze. Well Hakuba would see if the machine defeated KID. Not that he really believed it. No machinery was no match for the elusive phantom, only a human mind could ever hope to match him.

His inspection was interrupted, no surprise here, by Nakamori-keibu, who proceeded to pinch his cheek for the fifth time today. After the debacle at the last heist, where KID had simply mimed a police officer with an already pinched face, which had been painted on the mask he had worn, the head of the KID task force took no chances. In a near unpredictable rhythm did he run around and pinched various faces in hopes of exposing the thief. No such luck so far.

It seemed that this time around he wouldn't come via disguised police officer. Not that the European detective had expected it. KID used his tricks often, but he would have anticipated Nakamori's caution concerning disguises and acted accordingly. Nothing was ever simple and logical with KID, he was like a goddamn kaleidoscope. Every time the thief moved, the pieces shifted and he had a new picture.

Sighing he opened his pocket watch, the sound of the methodical unending ticking soothing his frayed nerves. They still had at least forty minutes before KID announced time of arrival. Seeing that had yet to stop Nakamori running around and bellowing orders, Hakuba knew that the small details such as air vents, windows and emergency exits would fall to him. The keibu wouldn't think of it, rumors had it, that another would become head of the task force if Nakamori didn't catch the thief soon.

As if someone else would be clever enough to match the thief, Nakamori at least had his sheer force of will and the stubbornness of an ox, that made him a fierce adversary and Hakuba? He had his intelligence and knowledge of KID to counter anything that the other threw his way. And one day he would prevail and catch him.

Only then he could return to Europe and finish his education there, then he would become a detective, just like he wanted.

All exists were guarded by officers as ordered, cameras had all air vent under supervision and every single window in the whole building had been secured with an alarm. There was no way that KID could enter without notice. If wasn't already in the building, but that couldn't be. The checks had been meticulous. Every person had been forced to undress and submit all his possessions for a check.

Clothes had been probed, faces pulled and pinches. Hell every officer had been measured beforehand to compile a detailed profile of every person on the case. Choices had been made to only accept men, who were either taller or a good deal shorter than KID's own height. Every possible opportunity for the thief to use one of his strengths had been eliminated to the best of their ability. Height, electronics, random checks to make sure, that the phantom hadn't decided to impersonate someone despite their measure taken.

The manager of the gallery had even gone as far as to order a new security system from America to ensure the safety of the black diamond. And it had only arrived the day before. No possibility for the KID to get notice of it. This time they would get him.

Nakamori had finally stopped with the pinching as the blond returned into the main room, where the jewel was displayed. Nothing had changed, the sky was still dark with clouds hiding the moon and the artificial light chasing the shadows of the room away. Another glance on the clock told him all he needed to know, had the bell not started to chime.

Midnight....or in other words:_ Showtime!_

~~Then~~

Shinichi eyed the interior of the temple with an expression of wonder. Tugging at his father's hand in impatience all he wanted to do, was to run off and see everything at his own pace. Sadly his father's hand only tightened, he had probably anticipated what his son would try to do.

Figures!

Behind him Yusaku could hear the disdainful sounds of Paul Augustine and suppressed the brief feeling of irritation. Turning around he watched as Edwin spoke with the man. He allowed himself a brief smile at the satisfaction Augustine emitted. While he definitely disliked the man, his passion for finding this temple and its treasures by nearly any means was unquestionable. Yet something wasn't right, his gaze swept over the pillars that bore the temples upper level before resting on the flickering torches...

Torches?!

Who had lighted them, none of the workers had entered the temple. So how could they burn. Taking a sharp breath, Yusaku forced himself to calm down. Irrationality wouldn't do him any good. Why was he so worked up, he had probably been too deep in thought to hear that someone had entered the temple. Simply asking the doctor would solve this issue quite quick.

But before the novelist could ask either of his partners, Shinichi had finally managed to free himself of his father's grip and pulled at Lindsey's jacket with an excited expression. And there was that pitying face again and Yusaku wondered once more, what made Augustine look at his son this way.

"Mr. Lindsey can I have your brush, please. I think I found something!"

The author hid a smile behind his hand, his son pulled all tricks including the big blue eyes and the quivering lips. The archeologist only smiled before handing the small child the brush, which he used to clean items he found. The beaming smile was more than enough thanks before the child was already passing the flickering torches towards the center of the room.

Augustine had followed the little boy, who was by now crouching over something in the middle of the four torches. Dust whirled around him as he tried to free whatever his eyes had caught and Lindsey didn't need to know that the boy had certainly never uncovered anything with a brush. Not that he expected it, the kid was after all the son of a novelist and not a scientist.

"Dad look!"

And sure enough on the stone was something. He watched with interest as the little hand grabbed the item and lifted higher. Directly into the light of the torch. It was a bracelet, made from bronze Lindsey would guess and in surprisingly good condition. Given that it probably had laid on the ground for more than a hundred years.

But what shocked him wasn't the jewelery, though it was a nice find and worth quite a sum in the right circles. No it were the runes and the symbol that had been etched into the stone floor. Three symbols, most likely runes arranged around a third one. He remembered the sketch Augustine had provided him with. They had found it after all.

"This is it, it has to be! I never thought..."

Augustine stood next to his partner Yusaku, studying the symbols with an intensity that would have startled Lindsey had he seen it. But as the archeologist was still studying the image, brushing his fingers alongside the edges of the fine work. That had to be over a thousand years old. And yet had it not been for the dust he could would have guessed the etching could have been done yesterday, the edges sharp and distinct with inlaid colors. So it was only natural that he barely half his ear listened to Augustine as he spoke of Ancient Magicks, who believed in that anyway, until he heard the characteristic sound of a gun being cocked. Both he and Yusaku faced Augustine at the same time, now acutely aware of the weapon trained on them.

"...so pleased, that I will give you an early bonus."

There was no time for a signal. Lindsey did just what he thought was right. Kneeling he barreled into Augustine, toppling the man over. While the Japanese grabbed his son and pulled him behind a pillar. Drawing his own gun from his jacket the scientist returned fire. He, too, took refuge behind one of the stone pillars. Now with him and his other benefactor separated, they had the advantage. He just hoped that Mr. Kudo was armed as well.

Another bullet hit the pillar he had taken refuge behind and the only thing he could do was answer the violence with violence. This time his aim was true and the bullet ended in Augustine's arm. Which apparently didn't even faze him.

"My god!"

Yet he used the distraction to get distance between him and his opponent. With a pounding heart he crouched behind the pillar, listening with dread to the old man's words. Lindsey was a scientist, his eye for details didn't stop at a person. He could easily tell that Augustine believed what he said and the thought frightened him more than he cared to admit. Instead of reacting his eyes sought the father, who had taken cover behind a smaller stone block with his child clutched to his chest, peppering small kisses over the shaking head.

With a feeling of terror he watched as the air around their opponent flickered with what had to be red lightning. By the gods, what had they encountered here? Was is the devil? Helpless his eyes wandered once more to the other man, his only ally against this.. this monster. Nothing left of the somewhat eccentric benefactor.

Lindsey could make out some kind of armor, very reminiscent of the early Romans. But that was where the similarities ended. For Augustine now resembled a corpse more than a human being with white rotten skin stretched thinly over a skull. Eyes whitened in death stared unblinkingly in their direction. With that staff in his hands, which might as well could have been carved from human spines.

On cue they could hear screaming coming from outside the temple and both knew what that meant. Their gazes met and Yusaku Kudo lifted his own gun, a Glock, and nodded resolutely.

_Showtime!_

~~_Now_~~

The last chime hadn't even died as the lights went out. Hakuba cursed, seemed like KID had gotten his hands on the building's electronics. There was no telling what else he had access to. Windows? The cameras? Kami, the sensors on the cabinet!

Luckily many heists had taught Hakuba one important lesson: Be prepared for the unexpected! And prepared Hakuba was. Moments later he was wearing night vision googles and studied the room. Some of the police officer, mostly the newbies, flailed around, not knowing what to do. The veterans though, calmly, awaited orders from Nakamori.

The catch?

Nakamori was nowhere to be found. Great, had KID impersonated him? No couldn't be, the keibu was far too tall for KID to impersonate believably. But where was he... the jewel. GONE! The European didn't waste any time and sprinted through the only entrance the room had with the exception of the closed windows, only to run into a solid wall.

What the?

Then he heard it, the mocking laugh he knew so well. And there he was perching on the cabinet, the pendant with the tear shaped diamond dangling from a thin chain in his hand. Before anyone could react though, the jewel vanished in the depths of KID's tux. Spreading his arms Hakuba could hear his voice echoing throughout the building. The thief had definitely taken control of the electronics and he could just imagine the grin he had to wear. The European growled.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, without further ado I present you my newest trick."

And just like that the thief vanished. One blink he was there, another he was gone! Hakuba's eyes flitted rapidly over the remaining officers, but the count was still correct, well except for Nakamori.

"Search him.. contact the security department. We need light!"

Great, soon he would be barking orders like the keibu himself. They needed to find him, and the Brit was ready to give more orders as he heard it. Above him and very quiet, but he heard it.

_Footsteps!_

"He's upstairs! Hurry!"

He was, predictably, the first on the entrance only to run into a solid wall and every officer behind him too. Groaning he sat up, one hand rubbing his head. That had hurt. Cautiously his hand reached out and connected with a wall. He frowned. He could see through the doorway, but he couldn't pass.

"Hakuba-san?"

"Try going through!"

His order was sharp and the officer hurried to comply. The man, a newbie, stepped through the doorway like it was nothing. His frown deepened, especially as he still couldn't pass. How ridiculous he had to look, with both hands pressed against something, that for all others didn't seem to exist. What was happening. Shivers ran down his spine and for a moment he thought that Koizumi-san was near. But it wasn't like when the witch was near, alike but completely different.

This was like being dumped into icy water. And then he knew, he felt fear. For some reason he was afraid. Shaking his head, he tried again and this time he could pass.

"Upstairs quickly!"

It couldn't have been more than a minute but Hakuba rarely ran, his legs moved as if a Yakuza mob was chasing him. He didn't know why, but his instincts screamed at him. Urged him to be faster. His flashlight was like a lone ray in the darkened building but that didn't deter him, until he saw it.

Blood!

Following the trail, the fear he felt only intensified. Almost absentmindedly he ordered his officers to draw their weapons. This wasn't a simple theft anymore. Slowly they followed the trail that led them to the upper floor.

"Call an ambulance! And Megure-keibu!"

There propped against the wall was a bloody Nakamori. The eyes were closed and hadn't he trained his eyes for finding details, he wouldn't have noticed the faint erratic breathing. One of the officers knelt in front of the fallen keibu and felt for the pulse.

"Hakuba-san, he's alive!"

He nodded, face already turning to follow the trail that led into the room a few feet to the left. After ensuring that someone would take care of the inspector he continued until he stood in the doorway to the room. He blanched and his face turned white.

Like a ghost he stood there, in the middle of the room. The normally white impeccable clothing stained red and even the monocle dyed with blood. And around him? Around were what could only be remains of bodies. His eyes met the concealed gaze of the bloody phantom and he could only stare as the thief vanished.

A whisper following him as Hakuba took in the sprays of blood that coated every surface of the room. The sprays turning up like a blobs of paint under the light of his flashlight.

"KID what have you done?"


	4. fourth facet: Aoko

Facets 

**Author: **Ryuosen  
**Chapters: **4/30  
**Words:** ~ 3200  
**Rating:** M for violence, blood and gore  
**Genre:** Romance, Adventure, Angst, Yaoi, Het  
**Pairings:** Kudo Shinichi x Kuroba Kaito claimed at **30_kisses** at lj  
**Theme:** #02 news, letter

**Warnings: **spoilers for entire series just to be safe, violence and blood, a slight crossover with Eternal Darkness is also in it..  
**Disclaimer:** The fact that a disclaimer is involved should clue you in!!

**Summary:**  
A heist turned into a homicide and Hakuba doesn't know what to think. Meanwhile Aoko can do nothing more than wait for her father's fate to be decided. And Kaito? Kaito has no idea what happened at all.

"talking"  
_thoughts, letters.. _

Translations  
keibu – suffix for a police officer/inspector

**Final annoying author's note **  
So I said in lj that I would start posting this monthly in January. Well that was doomed. RL utterly owns me at the moment. Hopefully you'll enjoy this chapter!

Thanks to those, who reviewed or added the story.  
Reviews and critics are more than welcome.

_Cheers_ Ryuosen

* * *

Chapter 2 Unpleasant awakenings

* * *

_~~...all that was...~~_

_You are one of the chosen many, flesh and blood._

_It is now your destiny to fight the Eternal Darkness. _

~~Now~~

She hated this. Sitting on a stool in a quiet white painted room, all she could do was wait. Her hair was hanging in her face and obscuring her vision but she didn't care. At the moment all she cared about was in a ER not even ten feet away and fighting for his life. And she? She was helpless, sitting and waiting.

How Aoko hated waiting.

Her fingers were stark white against her blue jeans, the knuckles showing because her fingers clenched the fabric. The room was silent otherwise, Hakuba-kun had been there earlier and tried to comfort her, but then had been forced to leave to speak with Megure-keibu.

The KID heist had turned into a murder investigation with at least ten bodies. And maybe, maybe her father would become the eleventh. She shuddered and suppressed the sob that tried to escape her mouth. She hadn't cried when her mother had been in hospital and she wouldn't cry now. Tou-chan was tough, he would rather commit suicide than admit defeat to KID.

The thought of the thief made her growl and that she didn't try to suppress. When she got her hands on that bastard there wouldn't be anything left of him! Of that she would make sure. Now the tears were trailing down her face anyway.

_Damn it!_

"Aoko-chan?"

Forgetting her tear-stained face, she looked up and met the concerned gaze of her new classmate. The young woman held a small white package in her hands. Aoko still had trouble understanding her.

"Are you alright, Aoko-san?"

Maybe it was what she needed now. A friendly face and a soothing voice, even if Irene-chan's sometimes still pitched. Wearily she shook her head before a fresh pairs of tears ran down her cheeks.

"What are you doing here Irene-chan?"

Irene looked at her for a few minutes, her head cocked to the side. Then she slowly came closer before sitting on the stool next to her. The package put aside. Her blue eyes were inquisitive, yet she asked no questions. In the end she turned her head aside and offered her privacy and the chance to save her face. Aoko knew well enough that Irene as a foreigner probably wasn't used to speak to someone without seeing their face. She appreciated the small kindness.

"My doctor, I had a check-up today and got another injection."

For a moment she felt uncomfortable as she was reminded of who Irene was, had been?

"I saw Hakuba-san earlier. Did something happen?"

She only nodded. Her fingers clenching again at the thought of her poor father. Having only gotten a brief moment to see him before he had been prepped for surgery had been enough time to see, how close he had come to death. It frightened her.

Irene looked at her face again, Aoko once more, was reminded how much she looked like a female version of Kaito. The warm hand on her shoulder was startling, but all the offer she needed as she threw herself at the woman next to her. A dam broke and she cried for all it was worth. Her fingers now clutching the broad shoulders of her classmate with her face burrowed in the hollow of her neck. She could feel Irene stiffening before she relaxed and her arms encircled her body. Aoko didn't want to think anymore and she was so warm. With that last thought she surrendered her body to the depths of sleep.

~~Then~~

Anticipation flooded his veins as he watched the police preparing themselves. He chuckled briefly. It was always entertaining to see Nakamori-keibu in action. The inspector was bellowing orders at a sound level that made him wince. It was a miracle that most of the police force wasn't deaf yet. Or perhaps they had grown immune against the bellows.

Interesting possibility, but not the reason he had come here tonight. No, the reason was lying on a white satin pillow in a glass case. Mentally he ticked through the precautions that had been taken to endure that he wouldn't be able to steal the diamond. He had to hand it to Nakamori, for once, the measure were pretty good and mostly thorough. Not completely but against the past heists, this might actually be a challenge.

He couldn't wait to see, what Nakamori had come up with. Smirking he turned his gaze towards a small monitor. Hakuba was inspecting the electronics and actually *pinched* the faces of the personnel operating them. Studying Hakuba for a few more moments until he knew for sure, that the detective hadn't discovered the manipulations he had made to the systems days prior.

He hadn't.

Satisfied he switched the computer off. Everything was going according to his plan. In less than, he glanced at his watch, ten minutes he would be the proud owner of a rare black diamond.

On cue moonlight broke through the clouds obscuring the sky and bathed him in Tsukuyomi's light.

It made him smile, while others would consider a blasphemy he reveled in being a child of the night. Free from the chains that bound him to the rules of the daylight and Amaterasu. Only the night offered him everything and he gladly took it.

Less than a minute now.

_Showtime!_

~~Now~~

Another police car passed him as he crossed the street. It was the sixth he had encountered so far. To be expected considering that he had spent the last four hours in police custody and given his statement. More like given his statement six times to six different officers, from whom Megure-keibu had been the only one he had known. The heist had been an absolute disaster.

They had ten dead bodies confirmed so far, a crime scene that resembled a slaughterhouse and the main suspect had escaped in front of their eyes by means that were unexplained. And he was sleep deprived, but no matter how tired he was, he wanted to get an update of Nakamori-keibu first.

And look how Aoko was doing.

Last he had seen her, she had been sitting inside a waiting room next to the ER, where her father had been undergoing surgery. At the time she had still seemed composed and calm. A facade, Hakuba suspected, but he hadn't said anything. Not when he was on the verge of a break-down himself.

Only thinking about the room had him fight the urge to curl up and vomit. The scent of blood, the carnage he had seen and KID standing there with red specks dying his white suit red. He would have nightmares for weeks to come, he imagined.

Finally the hospital came into view and hopefully after the check up he could go to bed and sleep.

The woman at the information had no new information for him. Nakamori-keibu was apparently still in surgery and would be for at least five more hours. As for his question whether his daughter had been informed, he got only a blank stare. It made Hakuba frown. Still he thanked the woman politely before using the elevator to reach the correct floor. Three police officers greeted him at the entrance to the wing with a nod. He only recognized Nakamori's second in command but it didn't matter either way. The lamp on th ER was still on and Hakuba knew they would wait until the lamp turned off.

Then he stopped and stared.

Next to the entrance of the waiting room sat one Kuroba Kaito. For a brief, brief moment how white rage surged through Hakuba. How dare the thief come here?! As soon as the feeling came it was already gone and he was left with a numbness he had never experienced before. He nodded at his classmate, before kneeling in front of him, bringing them on a near equal height.

"What are you doing here, Kuroba-kun?"

Only now he noticed the paleness of Kuroba's skin. It appeared near translucent, making him look more like a corpse than a living being. All happiness seemed to have been sucked from the normally energized teen. There was an emptiness in those bluish-violet eyes that Hakuba found marginally frightening. It only increased his conviction that this teen was the Kaito KID.

"I heard and I wanted... I wanted...."

The teen trailed off, leaving him with the impression that he probably wanted to comfort Aoko. She was his best friend after all.

"Where's Nakamori-san?"

For a moment Hakuba wondered if Kuroba had even heard him, before the teen nodded his head, indicating the waiting room. It lead Hakuba to look inside. Nakamori-san was indeed there, curled up on the lap of their newest classmate, Edogawa Irene. The rhythmic sound of snoring penetrated the room, leading him to the conclusion that she was actually asleep.

He then caught the eyes of Edogawa-san who made the universal sign for "_quiet_" before nodding at the sleeping woman on her lap. Hakuba swallowed briefly and fought the rising blush, before nodding and pulling back. Looking at Kuroba he decided that it would be better to get the teen home. Here was nothing they could do and looking at him he knew they could both uses a healthy dose of sleep.

"You should go home Kuroba-kun. You are exhausted and there is nothing that either of us can do now."

Kuroba-kun let himself be pulled to his feet, before looking at him. There was something in the way he looked at him, that made Hakuba uneasy. Then fingers dug into his skin as he was about to let go.

"No accusation today, I must be lucky."

It was the bitterness that left him speechless, not that the words themselves weren't hurtful. But he ignored them, felt even a tiny sliver of guilt. Kuroba would think that he would accuse him, when Nakamori was fighting for his life and Aoko obviously had had a breakdown. He had accused Kuroba of being KID often enough that it might not even matter anymore.

He stayed quiet, mulling over what he wanted to say to diffuse the situation. Knowing Kuroba he had to be mindful of how he would express his thoughts. His classmate was clever and would see through any deception he tried.

"I still think that you are the Kaito KID, I however don't think that KID is a murderer."

With that he pulled the man past the police officers and out of the hospital. He didn't need to see Kaito's face to know that the teen didn't look so glum anymore. Ignoring the woman at the information they had nearly reached the door as a familiar voice called out to him. Looking to his right, he came face to face with Megure-keibu who looked as beat as Hakuba felt.

"Hakuba-san, we are ready to process the scene. You're knowledge of Kaito KID's habits would be a welcome help."

He suppressed a frown before nodding, letting go of Kuroba's hand in the process. Understanding where the inspector came from. KID's heists were always a spectacle but now with a multiple homicide and an injured police officer the whole event was a bargaining chip on political grounds. Hakuba knew that his father's superior had for years been trying to get Nakamori removed from the case, so far without success. Just as he hadn't managed to get the approval to take KID down using more force, in this case, shot on sight.

Now the cards had been mixed again and the hands that had been dealt were hidden. Clearing KID of the murders was the first priority, otherwise the thief might not survive his next heist. Because now the whole case had become a far more serious matter, than a simple theft. While the heists always had been expensive, the jewels were returned at the end and no one had ever gotten hurt.

_Not anymore._

It was more than personal for the police now and he had no doubt that the consequences would be far more severe than any of them could be anticipated.

Fortunately or unfortunately, depending from which angle you looked, Hakuba didn't know, how right he was with his assumptions.

~~Then~~

Yusaku prayed that they would out of this alive, as he readied himself to attack the man that had once been his co-benefactor. Reluctantly he let go of Shinichi who only clung harder to him. It took quite a bit of silent coaxing to get his son to let him go, but in the end he did. Giving him a wordless sign to stay put, Yusaku met Lindsey's gaze one more time. It was either fighting or going down trying and he would be damned if his son would suffer.

"You cannot escape me, Lindsey, Kudo! This place will be your tomb,

just as it is Mantorok's!"

Yusaku could hear the grinding of stones and for a brief moment he believed that one of their workers had survived and opened the entrance to aid them. Leaning forward he peered around the edge of the pillar to reel back in fright, heart pounding. A stone wall on the right side of the room had opened and what had come through could only belong into his worst nightmares. Lindsey seemed equally shocked, his fingers clenching around the gun he was holding.

"Guardian! Kill them!"

Suddenly Augustine was gone and they were left with something that Lindsey was sure, even the most inventive person had trouble coming up with. Trembling he watched as dark red mist began to seep from the creature, covering the ground as it came steadily closer. Horrified he retreated coming to stand next to Kudo who had sat his son next to a statue. It seemed like the man was gathering all the courage he had to fight that thing. Lindsey could empathize, he felt the same.

The creature was truly ugly, at least the parts, that weren't covered by what appeared to be wings, that were wrapped tightly around its torso. Standing on skinless clawed feet with no skin to protect the muscles, which stretched and relaxed with every move the beast made. The head was nothing more than a skull with glowing green eyes that bore into his soul. All in all neither Lindsey nor Yusaku had ever seen anything more hideous than the creature in front of them.

His whole body started to shudder, his body felt like ice as he drew breath. Fearing that his body might not stand much longer Yusaku did the only thing he could actually think of. Arm raised, the safety clicked back and he pulled the trigger before he had time to mull over his bad aim. The resounding bang of his Glock going off was like a bucket of ice emptied over his head as he turned away from those glowing eyes. Suddenly his mind worked again. Lindsey joined with him and kept firing bullet after bullet as the beast came closer and closer.

"It's no good! The bullets don't even scratch it."

Both of them were forced to retreat in the center of the room lest it get closer to the defenseless child that still hid next to the statue. Lindsey eventually decided that it was time to pull the big guns and took the shotgun which had been hanging from his shoulder. But even the thick shells didn't do a thing to the monster. Nearly backed against the wall there was barely anything they still could do. Though Yusaku had found out the hard way, that they better avoid the monster's eyes.

"It won't die!"

"I can see that."

By now they stood with their backs to the wall and the creature had cornered them. Lindsey had drawn his knife to defend them. Against such a monster it looked pretty pitiful, but it was the only weapon they had for close combat. Steadily avoiding the creature's eyes they waited for it to come close, for their time to strike. It would be their last chance.

Meanwhile Shinichi watched the monster closing in on his father and Mr. Lindsey. He wanted to help but what could he do? Logically speaking he was just a little boy. Looking at the bracelet, he wondered if throwing it at the monster would hurt it. Probably not and then it would be after him and he had no weapons to defend himself. It was better to let his father handle this.

And they did. As the monster had reached them, standing only mere feet away, it unfurled his wings and exposed its torso. Lindsey was ready and slashed the beast. This time they got the wanted result. It screeched in pain before attacking the two man. Yusaku threw himself to the left while Lindsey went into the opposite direction, narrowly avoiding whatever the beast used to hurt them. Then the wings were once more tightly wrapped around the torso as it stalked after Yusaku.

"Kudo, over here. I have a plan."

He didn't dwell and quickly ran past it to get to Lindsey. The older man had pulled the shotgun from his shoulder and handed it over to Yusaku. Before he advanced onto the beast.

"Lindsey are you insane!"

"Shoot as soon as it opens the wings or what ever it is."

It looked like the Japanese wanted to say more, but Lindsey didn't give the chance. His blade ready he walked up to the monster, still taking care to avoid the eyes. It reacted just like it had before, the wings opened, spread and the monster readied itself to attack. Too bad that Lindsey and Yusaku were much quicker. The archeologist ducked as Yusaku fired the shotgun and hit the beast in the middle of the torso.

It reared back, giving Lindsey the chance to slash at its throat, but still stood. They hadn't won yet.

"Repeat that, it doesn't seem very bright."

And it wasn't. Steadily Yusaku and Lindsey worked in tandem to get it to open its wings before either shooting or slashing it. Both were panting, adrenaline cursing through their bodies. Neither giving the thing even an inch. Blood was spurting from the wounds the creature had received but it refused to die.

Only after what seemed like forever it inevitably fell. A last pained choking screech and it collapsed in a heap of broken bones, torn muscles and bloody skin. Lindsey pulled his gun and fired one last shot into the skull to make sure that it was really dead while Yusaku sank to the ground. He couldn't believe it.

They had survived.

tbc....


End file.
